ABSTRACT
Introduction: We aimed to develop a new tool to measure workplace safety towards infection control and prevention of COVID-19 for non-healthcare workers in China. Methods and materials: During 07/2020 to 04/2021, 6684 non-healthcare workers were recruited from Hong Kong, Nanjing and Wuhan of China and responded a standard questionnaire of prevention measures towards infectious control. The workplace safety towards SARS-Cov-2 and COVID-19 index (WSSC index) was developed and validated using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Robustness of the index was verified by the uptake of SARS-Cov-2 testing. Results: Fourteen variables were identified in the WSSC index, with three sub-domains of workplace’s implementation of OSH prevention measures, company’s OSH management and worker’s prevention behavior and awareness. The new WSCS index obtained a good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficients: 0.76-0.91), good composite reliability (composite reliability: 0.70-0.95) and satisfactory fit of the model (GFI=0.95;SRMR=0.05;RMSEA=0.07). Workers with higher scores of the WSCS index were more likely to uptake virus testing. Conclusions: This novel index is a validated tool to horizontally measure the performance of workplace safety towards SARS-Cov-2 & COVID-19 among non-healthcare workers across different industries and cities of China. Whether the tool is valid for longitudinally monitoring is under testing.